A Little Warmth Is a Good Thing!

Okay, we've had a heat wave the following couple of days. Yesterday morning, standing out in the parking lot, I had an epiphany. It was over 30 degrees. It was about the first time in about a week. I know there are people in parts north who would be thrilled and probably start sweating if it got over 20. Mild winters are one of the best things about living in the South. I don't know how you guys do it anywhere north of Tennessee do it. Going outside and being slapped in the face by 20ish weather is just astoundingly difficult. (Again, I feel that I must say that if that is my worst problem and I have a warm place to leave out of and go into, my life is AWESOME!)

All that to say, yesterday and today it's been BALMY. Right now, my computer is telling me that it is 63 degrees. How awesome. That's more like the normal winter around here. I'll take some more of THAT.

Let me add this information. I'm currently listening to a local radio station (not Slacker right now) that runs ESPN Radio. The dude was talking about how just as soon as the Steelers (the Pittsburgh variety, of course) won the AFC Championship, people began going out in droves to stores to buy their AFC Champs gear. I have to affirm Pennsylvanians' LOVE for wearing their team gear. When Snoopy and I went during the summer it absolutely amazed me. EVERYBODY, men, women, and children, were wearing Steelers or, but usually and, Penn State garb. I thought people down here were outrageously UGA fans, but they have NOTHING on the people in the greater Altoona/Pittsburgh area of Pennsylvania. The guy said that the store (It was a Dick's Sporting Goods, reportedly.) was open after the game finished, around 10:30 and stayed open until they sold out around 2:00 a.m. They then opened the next day at 6:00 to brisk business. They LOVE their football in that area.

I'm going through a little lack-of-football depression. After the big game next Sunday, I'll go into sports withdrawal until pitchers and catchers report. I can't wait until September.

I need to go do some school work, so later!

One More Farm Parade Item & Drum Roll. . . Pittsburgh's Children's Museum

This truck was rolling on through the parade. I laughed when I saw the small sign below the tank.














Field of Dreams is one of my favorite movies. I like the license taken with the catch phrase from this movie.














After a bit of terror in downtown Pittsburgh and Snoopy lamenting that we weren't going to PFC Park, we were beckoned by fish on a stick. There were three to be exact, but here's one.












This is the Children's Museum. The back side is what must be a re-purposed Allegheny Post Office, or so says the historic places marker.

I really liked this detail on the former post office.

Okay, I have to tell you that I love Mister Rogers. It's almost to the point of obsession. I just know that he always liked me just the way I was and that was cool. Another cool thing was that he was the first person to introduce me to jazz, which I LOVE. My parents never played jazz in my house, so I don't know if I would've been so appreciative of it otherwise.

Mister Rogers memorabilia is located in a special part of the Children's Museum.

Here are his sneaks! I loved watching him take off his street shoes and put these on.

Made by his mom, Mrs. McFeeley, here is one of his zip-up sweaters!

I saw many a film on the illustrious (literally) Picture, Picture!

Oh yeah, it's the trolley.
As the placard says, here's the very gentle Daniel Striped Tiger. He was SO sweet. Notice he's wearing his watch!!!!

King Friday and Queen Sarah Saturday were there too!

Henrietta Pussycat has definitely seen better days, meow meow.

I'm still totally wigged out by Lady Elaine. Toot, toot!

My all-time favorite is X the Owl. He is SO kickin'.

Look at that expression on his face. Nobody rocks it like X! I think he's responsible for my elementary-school obsession with Ben Franklin.

The actual swing from his porch
The traffic light
The aquarium

Okay, I've totally indulged myself on this post, but the Children's Museum is WAY cool. More on that another time!

More Trip to Pa

These people were totally for real. I don't know if it's visible, but some of these tractors obviously are in parades routinely. You can tell by the little plaques on them that tell what year and model they are.

Lady tractor-driver is pretty cool. I like the tractor.

I liked the flower arrangement in the front of this tractor. Festive, no?

Front view. . .

Side view. . .

Nice RED wheels. Contrast was GREAT!

I guess I'm just over the whole John Deere thing, because I really am digging the orange and red ones.

This girl was riding the tractor with Paw-Paw.

Farmall, I didn't even know that there were tractors by that name.

For my friend Fiona, whose brother is named after this tractor!

Even Uncle Sam drives a tractor.

Check the look on the dog's face. It's as if the mother-ship has contacted him/her. "Hey Marge, I'm taking Rico to the parade. He's gonna ride shot-gun with me! Be sure to take the camera to the parade!" I'm totally glad I had mine there!

The funny thing is that this wasn't even a drop in the bucket. There were probably over 100 tractors and pieces of farm equipment in the parade. It was really pretty cool. . . for the first hour and a half! After the first 90 minutes, I was D-O-N-E!

Pics from the Farm/Agricultural Parade

This was my ox-roast sandwich dinner. It's actually not ox, but I think it is roasted. It is beef that is kind of chipped up. There was some kind of seasoning that was kinda/sorta like sloppy joe, but no goopy sauce. The fries were quite tasty. I even made an exception to my no artificial-sweetener policy to try the tasty Ritchey's Diet Iced Tea. That was a HUGE bun! So delicious, I ate it all. Later, I wished I'd left some on the plate!




When I looked down the road, this was my view. Evidently, the farm parade is a pretty big deal.




I don't recall what this squirrel was supposed to represent, but getting a thumbs-up from a squirrel is pretty cool!



I didn't catch the names of these fellows, but I tip my hat to them. The jeep was restored and the gentlemen looked resplendent.

Never before seen by me, these were milk maids and dairy princesses handing out milk! I have witnessed the throwing of candy, but never the dispensing of milk.

The Ritchey's Dairy is very big in this area. We went to the ice cream store during the week, and I have to say they know what they're doing.

Trip to Pennsylvania -- Part I

Well, I am considering myself officially recuperated from my trip to Pennsylvania. Three days was what it took. It's nice to be back home. But, I would like to thank Snoopy for inviting me and driving me the WHOLE way there and back.

This was my lovely lunch from the trek we started last Monday. It was consumed in the Lake Norman, North Carolina area. The bun wasn't too toasty, but the sandwich was pretty good.

Later in the day, we stopped at a place called Fancy Gap (I think it was in North Carolina.) for gas. It was here that I got Fiona some things for her history class. Actually, I got her two shot glasses. One has generals of the Civil War and the other has all battles that took place in Virginia.

It was a lovely trip. We made really good time through Georgia, South and North Carolinas, and Virginia. I didn't think we'd ever make it through Virginia. I just checked the map. I thought we went through from east to west, with my lacking sense of direction. It was south to north. It seemed infinite.

It started raining/misting in West Virginia, through the tip of Maryland and into Pennsylvania. By the time we stopped in Pennsylvania, it had cleared up.

Once in Pennsylvania, we dined at the ever-delicious Bob Evans. I enjoyed a tasty dinner of breakfast. I had the healthy egg omelette with spinach, 1/2 as much cheese, and onions. I indulged in the home-fries. They were pretty tasty. I didn't get the before picture, since I was REALLY hungry.

We then arrived at her dad and step-mom's house in the hills of Pennsylvania. The area was near Altoona. Think Al-T(heavy on the T)oona. It was one of the most lovely areas I've ever visited.

Well, I was quite tired when we got there, but we went to WalMart to pick up a few things. I forgot shampoo?!? Snoopy's step-mom works there. She wanted something to do in her spare time. She started out as the quintessential greeter, but they moved her to cashier. You can't hide talent, you know! She's a wonderful lady and was very welcoming to a stranger from down south!

This was my lovely accommodation after watching the end of the Pirates game and a little David Letterman. The mattress was FANTASTIC. I probably should be scouting out a new one soon, but that's lower on my priority list.

When I awoke on Tuesday, this was the lovely site I saw while I ate breakfast. Their garden with water-feature. Everything up there was so lush and green. They are, as you can see, BIG TIME gardeners. Their yard is completely immaculate.



I am so NOT an outside person. I just happen to have a yard outside my home and someone else mows it. I haven't even wanted to take care of the yard and start some gardening, but this has made me at least THINK about it.




















This is the view out the front of the house. The hills are so lovely.

Tuesday was the AWESOME agricultural parade. I can't wait to post some of the sights from that!

Later!